Robinson R-22 BETA accident near Escondido, California, November 5, 2001
On November 5, 2001 at about 2:00 am local time, a Robinson R-22 BETA (helicopter), registered N7197Y, was destroyed in an accident near Escondido, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from obstacles while approaching to land at his private helipad. Factors in the accident were night conditions, inadequate illumination of the landing pad, and a likely low visibility condition due to fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2001 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Escondido, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robinson R-22 BETA · all R-22 BETAs on the register
- Registration
- N7197Y · no longer on the register · serial 3247
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with trees in an avocado grove and then terrain. The helicopter was believed to have departed a nearby airport, about 15 minutes prior to the accident on November 4, 2001, for a flight to the accident location. Farm workers found the wreckage on the morning of November 6, 2001. The wreckage was about 100 yards from a landing pad on the pilot's property, which was about 10 miles from departure airport. The elevation of the pad was about 1,600 feet. A certified flight instructor (CFI) at the departure airport saw the pilot preparing the helicopter for flight about 1715 on November 4. The CFI said the visibility was 4 miles with haze and going down. The automated surface observation station indicated that skies were clear at 1714 with 4 miles visibility and mist; the field elevation was 28 feet. The temperature/dew point spread was less than 3 degrees. By 1745, there were broken clouds at 1,000 feet; the visibility and temperature/dewpoint spread had not changed. The pilot always approached the landing pad, which was unlit, from the northeast. Investigators did not discover any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the helicopter or engine. Sunset occurred at 1659, civil twilight occurred at 1724, and nautical twilight occurred at 1753. The helicopter did not have an artificial horizon. The instrument panel had a placard indicating that the pilot must have sufficient illumination to operate by outside light sources. The Pilot Operating Handbook had the limitation that the pilot must maintain orientation at night by lights on the ground or by adequate celestial illumination.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 790 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 22, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 115 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-J2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L32 Oceanside CA at 1:45 am
- Destination: Escondido CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from OKB, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.